Thoughtless Words
by arquent
Summary: It was thoughtless words that got them here. Taang AU


A loud, painful sob racked out of her chest.

She didn't know why she was punishing herself.

It wasn't her fault.

_Lies…_They had been angry; said things that shouldn't have been spoken..._ever._

Even now, four years later, Toph couldn't understand how it had gotten so far so fast; didn't understand why Sokka or Katara hadn't stopped their argument. They had just stayed standing on the sidelines. That just pissed the young earthbender even more.

She shouldn't be mad at them. Sokka was just being himself, thinking it would clear up by morning after some dinner and a good night's sleep. Katara was frightened, and she let her fear get the best of her. And _Aang_…

It still filled her insides with guilt when she thought his name.

Tears fell once again from her pale green eyes. She hastily wiped them away. _Damn it! _She thought to herself._ Toph Bei Fong is **not **weak. She certainly **doesn't** cry for the lost of some stupid boy…_

But he wasn't just some stupid boy. He was _Twinkletoes…_

_The Fancy Dancer…_

_The Last Airbender…_

_The Avatar…_

**_Aang._**

He took her away from the hell that was her life; helped her experience the world outside of Gaoling. He only asked her in return to teach him earthbending. She remembered the first time they trained together. He had been so excited, wanting to learn those cheesy moves that made The Boulder and his gang 'special'. Toph had enjoyed cutting him off, and telling him that they were going to just move a rock…

Why was she doing this to herself? Bringing up forgotten memories that could only hurt her once again? However, her thoughts wouldn't leave from this subject. Toph sighed loudly in her large, empty house.

It was the dead of night, an ungodly hour for anyone to be conscious, yet here she was, wide awake, tossing and turning, the unmistakable feeling of guilt gnawing at her again.

She can still recall, with infinite detail, the fight they had.

* * *

><p>They had been earthbending a few miles from their camp. The heat was unbearable; sweat fell like rain from their faces, yet Toph never faltered. She yelled at him for being sloppy. He retorted back saying that he knew what to do; that he wanted to try something else. She sighed, and, once again, explained to him.<p>

"Look Twinkletoes, I **hate** this. I hate this more than you do, but I'm still under strict rules from your _lovely_ Sugar Queen. She thinks you can't handle anything harder or your injury from Ba Sing Se will **never **heal. As a matter of fact, I agree with her." She muttered the last part, but, of course, he heard her.

"You what?" He shouted at her.

"Twinkles, you have to heal. I know you hate being taken care of as much as I do, but _please_, you have to do this. You can't be in the middle of the fight and all the sudden fall down due to the pain." Aang had scoffed then.

"Have a little more faith in me, Sifu Toph. That was four months ago."

"I do Aang. I would have left if I didn't." The fact that she called him 'Aang' didn't even register to her. "Twinkles, Azula shot you. She shot you once, with perfect accuracy. She's probably told every single Firebender where the hit was. So what if the whole world thinks you're dead? One shot and it's bye bye Avatar and hello Fire Lord."

"Calm down Toph. Katara said I would be fine." She had gotten angry then.

"Damn it Aang! That's just it! Katara told me the truth. If you get hit there again, you could become paralyzed! How the hell do you plan on fighting the Fire Lord if you can't even walk?" Toph blew her bangs out of her face.

"So I'll be disabled? You're blind for god's sake, and yet you're the best earthbender I know!"

"This isn't even about me Twinkletoes. It's not even my destiny to defeat to Fire Lord. It's yours! And you sure are taking your sweet time doing it!"

"What's that suppose to mean?" Aang was very angry. She felt the vibrations of Sugar Queen and Snoozles running towards them. Toph ignored them; her anger finally getting the best of her.

"You _ran_ away, Aang. You left the world behind to go sit in some ice cube for a hundred years. You don't even want to be responsible for killing the Fire Lord! Whether you admit it or not, you are responsible for this war!"

She had regretted the words as soon as they left her mouth.

She overstepped her boundaries; the one thing none of them _never _spoke about. She clasped a hand to her mouth.

"God…Aang…I-I didn't mean it."

"Shut up Toph." His voice was hard.

"Twinkles, I—''

"Just shut up Toph! Stop acting like the hurt victim here! You had a perfect life for 12 years, and you expect me to be grateful for you leaving and throwing insults at me?"

"Twinkletoes, just because I was rich doesn't mean I had a perfect life!" The argument was heating up again, and neither would stop it.

"You know what your problem is? You don't care for anyone but yourself. You used us to get away from your parents, and you used us to be the family you wanted but never had! No wonder your parents kept you hidden from the world! You are just a stupid, selfish, blind child!" Aang finished his speech with a look of triumph on his face, but that look quickly faded into horror.

Toph—his powerful Sifu, and the World's Greatest Earthbender and only Metalbender—had tears falling from her eyes.

He had never seen her cry before.

She turned away from him for a moment, before looking him straight in the eyes.

"Let's get one thing straight _Aang_," She snarled. "I don't need anyone to take care of me. I don't need a family. I don't need friends. I don't need _you_." Her tears burned against her face.

"Toph—''

"Shut it! You want me gone so badly? I'll tell you what. I quit." Gasps came behind them; Toph had forgotten the others were even there.

"Wha-What do you mean you quit?" Fear fell into his voice.

"I thought you were smarter than that _Aang_. I quit from being your teacher. I quit from being part of the Gaang. I _quit _from being your friend." Toph turned on her heel, and proceeded to walk away. A hand grabbed her petite wrist, stopping her from moving.

"Toph…please…I'm sorry." She laughed, but with no humor.

"Don't you get it _Avatar_; I don't want to see you…ever again."

"Why?" There was that laugh again, and then silence.

"…Because I hate you." She snatched her arm from his grip, and ran away from her former friends, not ever looking back.

What happened after that was mostly a blur.

* * *

><p>She remembered very little.<p>

What she did remember, however, was not pleasant—running for days on end, not eaten or drinking for the same amount of time, her feet cut up and bruised.

The tears wouldn't come.

She had settled down after a month of traveling. She lived on the outskirts of Ba Sing Se, a few miles away from the wall. Her house was surrounded by dozens and dozens of trees. Toph was completely isolated. When she had first found it, it had been a dingy shack, capable of collapsing at any moment. However, with a little metalbending here, and some earthbending over there, the house was sturdy in no time.

It was a nice house, made out of complete granite. The roof consisted of sheets of metal and a granite chimney. There were two bedrooms inside, a kitchen, a bathroom, and a living room. Toph wasn't big on overly decorating and her house showed it.

Her appearance had changed over the years. She had taken her hair out of her signature bun, and let it fall naturally in loose curls down her back. She had grown taller, but still thin and muscular. Her outfit now consisted of a light green halter top with dark brown capris underneath. Gold gauntlets were around both of her wrists. Of course, Toph was barefoot.

She had gotten herself a job, teaching earthbending obviously. It was a good job; paid a lot, easy to do, and was something Toph enjoyed doing.

One thing Toph was always filled in on was the gossip. Her students' mothers were the cities' biggest gossipers. It broke her heart hearing about the wonderful Avatar, his group, and the amazing adventures they went on. Deep down, she always knew she should be there with them.

Toph almost died when she heard she was replaced.

An earthbender, male, had fulfilled her occupancy as the Avatar's earthbending teacher.

_Haru…_

What kind of name was **_that_**?

And they just replaced her…without a second thought…

She bit her lip hard as hot tears poured down her face. Four years, and thinking about him still left her in this state. She truly did hate her emotions. They made her different from the hard, sarcastic Toph. They made her into this pathetic girl who cried over a man who didn't even think about her anymore.

The war was over of course. Aang had defeated the Fire Lord, and his son, the banished Prince Zuko, took over from him alongside his love, Mai. Aang and Katara had apparently gotten together; she had stopped listening after that.

She wondered where he was now; if he ever thought about her.

God, if she could, she would go back and undo this.

God, if only.

_I'm so sorry Aang. _

Her empty house was her only answer.

It was painful for her to get up the next morning.

* * *

><p>He had no fucking clue what he was doing here. She had made it painfully obviously that they weren't friends anymore; they weren't even Sifu and student. The solid line of trust and respect had been broken in a few minutes of anger and pain.<p>

He regretted it. She was the best; she wasn't afraid of anything and that drew him to her.

She had stolen his heart and couldn't be bothered to give it back.

Aang sighed. The hot sun was pounding on his bald hair, and his gray eyes were watering at looking at the door for so long.

His hand balled up into a fist, inches away from knocking on the wood door.

He shouldn't be so afraid. He was the Avatar for God's sake. He fought the former Fire Lord and _lived. _Compared to that, this should be a piece of cake…right?

His knuckles rapped the polished white door quickly.

Oh god. What had he _done?_

The door opened with lightning speed. All hope of mercy vanished from Aang's face.

There stood one pissed off looking Lao Bei Fong. He cleared his throat.

"Is Toph here?"

Oh _god_. What had he _done?_

* * *

><p>The living room hadn't changed since the last time he saw it. Poppy, Toph's mother, was being a little…hostile with him…<p>

He had no idea why.

The brain-dead servants served them tea—a little too strong in Aang's opinion—and bran muffins that tasted as if they were years old.

"It's brave of you to show up here, Avatar, especially seeing what you did." Lao sneered.

"Pardon?"

"Oh don't act so ignorant Avatar! Where is Toph?" He hastily stood up from his chair, knocking his tea over in the process.

"You mean…you don't know?" Confusing filled the young airbender's voice.

"Oh we know alright. First you charge into my home, unannounced I might add, and then you kidnap my daughter for five years!"

"I just want to see my beautiful little girl in my arms again!" Poppy wailed. Aang cringed at the thought of what Toph might do if she heard that.

"Five years? What are you talking about?" He was so confused. Was this a joke?

"We haven't seen our darling little princess in five long and heart-aching years, and it's **your **entire fault!"

Aang spoke slowly.

"Mr. and Mrs. Bei Fong, Toph left our group…four years ago. I-I haven't seen her since then. We all assumed she came home." Even now, it hurt him to say it.

"Toph's leave is news to us!" Lao yelled once more.

"Then…if she didn't come home…where is she?" He said, more to himself than them.

* * *

><p>She was gardening outside her house.<p>

It was hard to believe that she was so bored that she had to resort to _this. _It sounded something like Sugar Queen would do…

Oh god. Here she went again.

And she had thought she had left those memories and anguished tears back in her warm bed.

Toph….was hurt.

It was one thing to never see her real friends in four years.

…It was another to be in love with one of them.

Her crush on Sokka had evaporated a long time ago.

Then she fell in love with **_Twinkletoes_** of all people.

She could still remember the vibrations of when he walked; how his laugh could always bring a smile to her face; how they had **_such_** a good time, and then she went and ruined it.

Her heart was broken and she couldn't bear to put together the pieces together.

Lying in the grass, Toph once more let the tears fall down her face.

Silence.

Deathly silence.

Then, she heard something. It was light, barely touching her line of vision. What the _hell_ was it?

Her mind gave her the answer.

It was impossible.

"Toph," He murmured, knowing that she could hear him.

She stiffened, tears forgotten. He wouldn't _dare._

"Go. Away." Aang winced.

"Toph, please, let me explain-''

"Explain?" She sat up quickly, whirling around and staring at him in disbelief and anger. "Explain, after _four years_? Explain what? Explain exactly how much of a spoiled brat you think I am for leaving you? Explain how you could say that to me, rip my heart out and then replace me like I was just a tool used to win the war? You _played _me Aang! I don't want to hear your pathetic explanations. That ship sailed a **_long _**time ago."

Aang looked Toph, wishing he could say something—_anything_—to make this right. He didn't know how, but he knew Toph was hurt more than she was angry.

"Toph, I'm so, so sorry for what I said. What I did—there's no excuse for it." He broke off, but she didn't say anything. Anger filled his hurt voice, "But don't you _dare _say that I didn't care about you. I **care **more than you'll ever know. I've felt so guilty—so damn guilty for what I said four years ago. The only reason I haven't come sooner is becau-because I love you so much, and I couldn't bear to see you look at me with that hate-filled stare. There hasn't been a _second _I haven't thought about you."

Slowly, crystal clear tears fell down her face. He wished he didn't have that horrible picture stuck inside his head.

"What about Katara?" She whispered, her voice clogged with all the unshed tears.

"I don't love Katara. It was a stupid crush; a really, really stupid crush. I love you. I **_love _**you, Toph." Aang tried to make her understand, tried to make her realize his feelings.

"Am I supposed to forgive you now? Aang, you hurt me," she finally said, forming her hands into fists. "I trusted you," she whispered. Aang turned away from her, not able to stare at her pain-filled face. He instead concentrated on the green grass in front of him, not trusting himself enough to turn back.

"I know I don't deserve your forgiveness, Toph, but, I need it." He said, keeping his eyes trained on the ground. "I know I don't deserve even that much, but I do want you to know…how sorry I am. I messed up. I ruined our friendship, and even though Katara and Sokka won't ever admit it, I ruined our group too. Toph, you were—and still are—the most powerful, beautiful, and strong person I have and will ever meet. You are amazing; you brought something to the group that I didn't know we had till you left."

"And what was that?" Toph said, emotion filling her voice.

"Support. Once you left, everything went to hell. We couldn't be strong without you, Toph," Aang turned around and faced her now standing figure again. "We _needed _you to make us stand tall; to be rocklike." He saw a hint of a smile on her face.

"I know you hate me. I'm sorry. I'll say it a million times and it still won't be good enough." He felt his own tears stinging at his eyes. "Please, say something." Aang begged.

Silence fell once more.

"I don't know what to say. I'm _still _angry and I'm _still **hurt**_. I don't know if I can trust you ever again."

He swallowed the lump in his throat. "I'm sorry you feel that way Toph."

"Quit saying you're sorry. I'm sick and tired of it Aang." She snapped. "You want to know why I'm angry, Aang? You want to know why I hate this feeling in my chest? It's because I _know _how much I hurt you that day. I **know **that I probably destroyed _any _self confidence you had. I changed you, Aang, and certainly not for the better! I mean I've heard your stories, who hasn't?" Her voice took a sarcastic turn. "The amazing Avatar and his lofty crew, gallivanting across the skies, training here and training there, fighting the Fire Lord and winning. I'm **_angry_**, Aang, because it wasn't supposed to be that idiot Haru training and fighting alongside of you. It was supposed to be **_me_**!" Her voice increased two octaves.

That's when he knew. She wasn't just mad at him. She was mad at herself, too.

"I've made you upset. That's why I haven't tried to find you. I've wasted enough of your time. I'm going to go." He turned away from his Sifu and walked away, trying to find some strength in the earth she worshipped.

"Twinkletoes," Toph called to him. He turned around.

She ran to him, enjoying the feel of dirt and grass between her toes. Toph leaped into his arms and just enjoyed the feeling of them around her. He burrowed his face in her hair.

"I missed you." She whispered into his ear.

"I missed you too." Aang pushed her hair behind her ears. "I really am sorry."

"I know," Slowly, Toph placed one hand on his cheek and tipped his face to hers, placing a soft kiss on his lips. She felt Aang suck in his breath and let it all out in a rush, pulling her tightly against him, kissing her back fervently. With every second of the kiss, the two felt their hearts mending. Toph broke the kiss, a ghost of a smile on her lips.

"And you're forgiven."


End file.
